ANAHEIM -- The Senators are in big trouble, but it's not Ray Emery's fault.

After a 1-0 loss to the Ducks at the Honda Center last night, the Senators return home down 2-0 in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup final.

Ducks fans went wild as Samuel Pahlsson scored at 14:16 of the third period to give Anaheim its second straight victory as the final shifts back to Ottawa for Game 3 on Saturday night.

"We can't go home sulking. They call it home-ice advantage. We've got to go home and win there. We are down 2-0. There is a long way to go," said defenceman Chris Phillips. "Going back home we've got to change some things but we're confident we can even it up."

History isn't on their side as the team is 0-5 lifetime when down 2-0 in a playoff series.

While Emery probably deserved a better fate with an outstanding effort, the Senators are sitting exactly where they should be as the effort has simply not been there.

After a bad giveaway by Dany Heatley and a poor defensive play by Daniel Alfredsson, Pahlsson fired a bullet by Emery inside the post on the glove side to break the scoreless tie.

Anaheim goalie J.S. Giguere recorded the shutout, but he certainly didn't have to work very hard to earn it. The Senators mustered a mere 16 shots on the former Conn Smythe winner and the club certainly didn't have much in the way of good scoring chances.

The Senators can claim they're not playing to their potential, but the reality is they're being beaten by a better team.

"They're doing a good job. That's all it is." said Senators coach Bryan Murray. "We have to go home now and take advantage home ice. We have to see if we can get one and get back here."

HUGE STOP ON SELANNE

All that stood in the way of total disaster for the Senators was Emery. Had it not been for him, the Senators would have been blown away.

In one instance, Emery made a huge stop on Teemu Selanne early in the third, grabbing the puck in the crease after it bounced off the crossbar and before it crossed the goal line.

The Senators were getting outhustled, outmuscled and outplayed by the Ducks, but Ottawa did try to hit back in the opening minutes.

Ottawa had promised they would improve from Game 1, but the only player who had a better outing was Emery.

In trying to ignite the offence, Murray broke up the top line of Alfredsson, Heatley and Jason Spezza by starting Alfredsson with Mike Fisher and Peter Schaefer.

The Senators captain, however, was later reunited with Spezza and Heatley for most of the night, although Dean McAmmond did see some shifts there in the third.

"We're the top line on the team and we're expected to score goals. We have to better," said Spezza. "We've got to win two games in a row. We've put ourselves in a tough spot."

For the most part, the pairing of Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger were on the ice every time the big line touched the ice.

"We've mixed and matched all year," said Heatley. "Whatever gives us a chance to win."

For the second straight game, the Senators had a two-man advantage and did nothing with it.

In the first period with Shawn Thornton and Pronger in the penalty box, the Senators had five shots during a span of 1:08, but couldn't beat Giguere. Mike Comrie hit a post and Giguere made a big stop on Spezza.

"We aren't happy with the way we're playing," said Alfredsson. "They're playing well and we aren't getting many chances. We have to play better."